Blockchain & You – Rachel Maib Ep. 007

In episode 7, we interview Rachel Maib for our “Blockchain and You” series. We ask her past, present, and future takes on blockchain, cryptocurrenies and their impact on her life.

Rachel is our editor and publisher here at Blockchain WTF, in charge of our website. She has assisted in content creation as well, helping produce some of our resource guides on various tokens & explanations on how BCT and crypto work. Check out our site to see some of her work, and follow us on social media (links below)!

How and when did you first hear about blockchain technology?

I first heard about blockchain technology in the start of 2013, when my best friend’s brother was at the Bitcoin Conference in Miami. This is when Vitalik announced Ethereum, which sent up some hype in the space. It all started with a run down of Bitcoin, and then over the next six to seven months, I started to dig deeper into Ethereum and potential for smart contracts and building on these platforms.

Who are you and what is your role in Blockchain WTF?

My name is Rachel Maib, and I am a content editor and publisher with BCWTF. I also run the social media side of our site more recently. (Editors note: Rachel no longer does our social media.)

Once you had a grasp on the technology, what impact did you see it having?

Wow, how do I begin… I started with blockchain technology, like deep philisophical discussions right off the back. So immediately I saw potential impacts all over the place. First, I was a bit weary of the technology, being a bit of a conspirist. But then I started to see how these systems could really improve some of our modern societies problems with transparency & security, for things like government and banking systems.

I also remember thinking a lot about how this could help make products safer, like food distribution systems, as well as providing content creators with more attribution for their work. Then there is the whole concept of sharing resources, like solar energy or WiFi, that opens a whole other door of possibilities.

I think it could also really help with building reputations for people and trust between people in many different aspects of human interactions. I truly believe blockchain technology will help propel our world into the new age, where we are currently held back from reaching due to traditional systems that no longer fit our means of interaction, nor our needed efficiency for transacting.

What influence do you think cryptocurrencies will have?

Honestly, I see myself much more as a proponent for blockchain technology than cryptocurrencies. Ultimately, I believe blockchain technology and things like smart contracts will be the primary influence in people’s lives and different industries. I am not sure if cryptocurrencies will soar to become their own form of “currency” necessarily, but I do think it will greatly progress the way we transfer value in a digitized and global economy. Jacques wrote a good article on this about intergalactic trade, you should really check it out!

When were you intrigued, and when were you sold?

At first I was super hesitant, but at the same time very intrigued. I was sold when I met some of the Ethereum development team in May of 2013, and I got to hear their discussions and see their passion for these systems, and how they can truly revolutionize challenges we face in our modern world.

I predict that blockchain technology will most definitely be apart of our daily lives as we progress into this digital age. I think one day most computer systems and phones may be on a blockchain, or even our sites, like social media, or Blockchain WTF will be hosted on a blockchain. We may not see it as a part of the systems we use, but I definitely believe it will be there in the background somewhere.

I think it will bring back power to the every day person, rather than relying on our current systems that are untrusted third parties. I think both blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies will do wonders for how we transfer value, information, and resources, in many different industries and aspects of our lives. As this technology grows and becomes more sustainable, secure, and scalable, it will definitely be apart of the future.

Fidelity Investment is one of the largest asset management firms in the world. And they’ve shown affection for blockchain and crypto before. Now they are taking it a step further, and making some real progress in their business on the blockchain.